The monsters surging behind, after witnessing Xu An cleave open her companion's head with a single strike, seemed to possess a shared awareness. They let out a savage roar, as if their ferocity had been ignited, charging towards Xu An one after another.
She gripped her handgun, but she couldn't fend off the sheer numbers. She swung her long saber with one hand, while using the other to finish off any stragglers.
Xu An's movements were fluid and seamless. Although she herself sustained no injuries, those who watched her were struck with various expressions.
"Xu An, you must have trained extensively for this skill!" Hawole exclaimed with admiration. "If this were before the apocalypse, with your abilities, you'd be a top soldier in our unit!"
Ana, hiding behind Hawole, felt a pang of discomfort hearing his praise for Xu An, but she had to admit that Xu An's skills were second to none, even among men.
She struggled to deal with the surrounding monsters, her body already marred by several bloody wounds.
"Hawole, we can't just stay passive like this. If it's absolutely necessary, perhaps we should retreat the way we came. Otherwise, we'll be worn down to death!"
Xu An did not respond to Hawole's praise. Instead, after quickly analyzing the current situation, she made a decision.
Qin Chuan was right. They shared a common secret, and the only way for both parties to coexist peacefully was to escort Hawole's group out now.
Since Qin Chuan himself had said to leave him alone, Xu An believed he had his own ways of dealing with these monsters.
After all, that incredibly powerful laser gun was still in her space. If such a weapon could be openly sold, the military's arsenal was likely even more formidable.
Hawole and his group would only be encumbered here.
Qin Chuan, who was on the other side, lowered his eyes upon hearing this and focused on dealing with the monsters in front of him.
He mused internally that Xu An was indeed excellent at assessing situations. She possessed a resilience distinct from other women.
The military was never short of decisive women, but even the most ruthless among them had their own stubbornness and views when facing certain issues.
They believed that as long as their strength was sufficient, they could achieve so-called "justice," and they also yearned to provide "justice" to others.
Qin Chuan analyzed this as a uniquely feminine "divinity."
This was what people commonly referred to as a "madonna."
Qin Chuan did not dislike madonnas. On the contrary, he felt that those who could truly "save the world and aid all under heaven" were highly respectable.
However, respect was different from agreement. In the apocalypse, this kind of "divinity" became a fetter for women.
But Xu An was different. Compared to those individuals, she appeared much more indifferent and rational. She was a typical egoist.
Qin Chuan found her very interesting. In his twenty-eight years of life filled with duty and orders, this was the first time he had been so intrigued by someone.
A dissenting voice interrupted Xu An and Qin Chuan's thoughts.
Lao Liu: "Pushing outwards is not as effective as pushing straight inside. Hawole, we've come this far. Officer Qin Chuan still has a mission to accomplish. How can we give up halfway?"
Hawole, after hearing Lao Liu's words, felt they made sense. "Then let's charge straight in."
Xu An wanted to say something more, but Qin Chuan stopped her with a look. They both looked towards Lao Liu's position in unison.
She knew she couldn't speak again. To do so would seem deliberate, as if she were intentionally preventing them from advancing.
But if she could have a do-over, Xu An would escort these people out, even if she were suspected.
With that said, Hawole covered Ana and charged forward. Xu An's covering fire also intensified. She glanced to the side and realized it was Zhou Zhe.
Before Xu An could ask, Zhou Zhe spoke up, "Captain sent me to help you."
Xu An nodded in thanks.
Among their group, Hawole led the charge, while Qin Chuan covered the rear. The head and tail positions were also the most heavily attacked by monsters.
Finally, after ten minutes, the group managed to evade the monsters' ambush and escape into a tunnel.
The magma scorched the entire ground, and a faint steam rose from the tunnel. They didn't have much water to begin with, and the heat made them increasingly anxious.
"Officer, what are you doing here? We're already this deep. Do we still need to press on?" Lao Liu asked tentatively.
Qin Chuan naturally did not answer him. Zhou Zhe on the side retorted, "We told you to escape earlier, but you refused. Now you're asking."
Lao Liu sheepishly shut his mouth.
Qin Chuan felt they had moved far enough. He took out a pre-prepared map and consulted his current position to locate where they were.
Hawole was astonished. "You... how do you have a map of the tunnel?"
This place was a secret guarded by his family for generations. It was when scientists came during the reform and opening-up period that they informed the higher-ups about this location.
However, it was not widely publicized, so most people were unaware that the true Hellfire lay underground.
Hawole quickly stepped forward to question Qin Chuan, attempting to snatch the map from his hands for a closer look.
But his hand, reaching out midway, grasped nothing.
"Don't you think your current actions are somewhat overstepping your bounds?"
Hawole looked up and met Qin Chuan's icy gaze. Hearing his words, he belatedly realized what he had done.
"No, I, I just wanted to see how you knew about the secret our generation has been protecting."
Although Hawole was simple and honest, he was not foolish. Otherwise, he wouldn't have survived the apocalypse. If he couldn't see at this point that Qin Chuan was specifically targeting him, then he would have lived his thirty years in vain.
"When did you start targeting me?!"
Hawole seemed to have figured something out, and the look in his eyes towards Qin Chuan changed, laced with a hint of caution.
"What are you here to do at Hellfire?!"
With Hawole's barrage of questions, the atmosphere plummeted to freezing point. The "teammates" who had been fighting side-by-side moments ago were now subtly turning into two opposing factions.
Xu An watched all of this unfold, her heart skipping a beat. An ominous premonition spread in her heart. She intuitively felt that if Qin Chuan didn't provide a reasonable explanation today, it would be difficult to resolve the situation.
Just then, Lao Liu, as if adding fuel to the fire, darted his eyes back and forth between Xu An and Qin Chuan.
"Hawole, there are some things I didn't want to say, but since it's come to this, Officer Qin Chuan, you and this Xu An, I'm afraid... you're old acquaintances!"